The Bolder Boulder has had its share of kisses, hugs and even marriage proposals over the years and this year is the 20th anniversary of one of the race's most romantic events.

Lockett E. Wood, PhD and Tisha Balesi stopped near the corner of 14th and Balsam during the 1992 race along with 19 family members, most of whom were also running the race, and a camera crew from Channel 4 to get married. The officiant who married them was also a registered race participant.

They recited vows as thousands of other racers ran and walked by, said their 'I dos' and went on to complete the race with tags on their rear ends that read "just got married." The ceremony took about 15 minutes.

"We were not doing it for time that year," Wood joked.

Bolder Boulder officials said the Wood-Balesi Wedding was the first and only wedding of which they are aware in race history. If there have been others, they were kept private.

The couple has lived near Lyons for years and Wood has only missed two Bolder Boulders in the race's history. They generally have a party each year following the race to celebrate their accomplishment and their anniversary.

"It's one of our favorite stories," Wood said

The couple had met just over a year earlier in John F. Kennedy airport in New York as they waited for a connecting flight to Denver after returning from Finland and France respectively. Wood, now 72, saw Balesi, now 54, purchase some candy and spill most of it on the floor. He walked over and offered her a bag of the same kind of candy he had purchased earlier.

Advertisement

Wood managed to get himself seated next to Balesi on the flight home and they began dating a month later.

Both are avid runners and not long before the 1992 race during a family dinner, they discussed when and how to get married. Wood's daughter-in-law suggested the Bolder Boulder.

"We were trying to figure out where to get married and how to get married and all this kind of stuff, and she made that suggestion and I thought it was a great idea," Wood said.

Race day this year is not their actual 20th anniversary. They were married on May 25th, but they are marking this year's race by welcoming back most of the 19 family members who witnessed their marriage along with a few new ones.

Back in 1992, Wood wore black running shorts along with a tuxedo shirt, bow tie and top hat for the race and ceremony. He said he plans to don the same outfit again this year. Tisha wore white running shorts with white top and baby's breath in her hair 20 years ago. She will wear something similar this year as well.

Wood's daughter from his first marriage, Celeste Jackson, served as a flower girl back in 1992 when she was in her early 20s.

"It was a good time," Jackson said. "It was a celebration of my dad finding a fantastic woman to join the family. They're a good active couple."

Wood has lived in Bolder most of his life and worked for years as a physicist at the National Institute of Science and Technology. He later started a company that eventually became Colorado MEDtech.

Running and being physically fit has always been a big part of the couple's life together. Wood recently qualified for the Boston Marathon after running a marathon in Ireland. But the Bolder Boulder will always be their favorite race day.

"I've raced all over the country and I think it's probably the premier 10K in the country," Wood said. "I've never been in another race that was as nice as that race."

Knights pick up first playoff win since '14BOULDER — This year's Fairview boys basketball team sure is full of surprises.
After losing five of their first eight games, the Knights rebounded to finish the regular season on a 13-2 run and found a way to win the Front Range League regular season championship. Full Story

The Boulder alt-country band gives its EPs names such as Death and Resurrection, and its songs bear the mark of hard truths and sin. But the punk energy behind the playing, and the sense that it's all in good fun, make it OK to dance to a song like "Death." Full Story